How to Shrink Wrap Posters

Shrink wrapping is a great way to protect posters for shipping or for display. This plastic film that shrinks when it is exposed to heat can be purchased at any craft supply store. You can buy a shrink wrap kit that includes the roll of shrink wrap, a dispenser with a wand, a film separator rod and a heat gun. Alternatively, you can purchase the shrink wrap and the heat gun separately, as these are the only two products necessary to shrink wrap a poster.

Things You'll Need

Poster

Heat resistant pad

Shrink wrap

Heat gun

Scissors

Shrink wrap cutting knife (optional)

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Clean a flat work surface. The plastic wrap will attract dust and particles, so get the surface as clean as possible.

Place a heat resistant pad on top of the work surface. This pad protects your surface from damage.

Pull off enough plastic film to cover the front and back of your poster. You should allow for at least 6 extra inches of plastic on each side.

Cut the shrink wrap using sharp scissors or a shrink wrap cutting knife.

Place your poster face down in the center of the film.

Fold over each of the edges of the film so that they lie on the back of the poster. This step is very similar to gift-wrapping.

Set your heat gun to "hot."

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Heat the back of the poster with the heat gun. Holding the gun 6 inches or more from the surface, slowly move the gun along the back side of the poster. By starting with the back, you are pulling all of the seams to the back side of the poster so that the front will be smooth.

Turn the poster over so that the printed side is facing up. Check to be sure that the front is completely smooth. If there are wrinkles, slowly move the heat gun around until the front is smooth.